prime
by xCaligula
Summary: During a visit to Konohagakure, Temari makes an unlikely friend, and perhaps, something more. AU, GaiTema, with background LeeTen, NejiHina, and KakaAnko.
1. Chapter 1

Temari's visit to Konohagakure is based mostly on diplomacy, though, with their being little to discuss during times of peace like this, she'll have a lot of downtime to enjoy the village. She rather likes Konoha, and enjoys every visit she has, so she's looking forward to being able to spend some time there. What's more, Tenten has agreed to be the one to meet her at the gate, and escort her to where she will be staying.

Ever since the first time Tente bugged her for a rematch, the two of them have become more like friends than rivals, sparring together when they have time, with Tenten continuing to develop new ways to counter the advantages Temari has over her. All in all, they are fairly close despite the distance, and Temari is also looking forward to getting to see her.

Sure enough, once she crosses through the village gates, having shown the paperwork for her and her Suna escorts to the guards, she is greeted by not only Tenten, but the rest of her team as well. "Temari!" she calls out, a large smile on her face. "I'm so glad you got here safely!"

"Well, we're fortunate enough that there aren't as many dangers as there used to be," she replies. "You're looking great, Tenten."

"You too, Temari. Hope you've got time for a fight before you have to leave."

"Now, now, I just got here. At least let me have some time to see the sights before you drag me into your training," she teases, before turning her attention to the men accompanying Tenten. "Neji, you're looking well too. And you too, Lee." Both thank her in turn, and then she turns to Maito Gai. "You're looking just as strong as ever."

"Oh, Temari, there's no need for flattery," the older man says, giving her a bright, winning smile.

"It's not flattery at all," she replies, not even hoping to match the intensity of his smile with her own. "You're all looking great, I do mean it."

"Well, with diplomats like this, it's no wonder the world is so peaceful," he says with a chuckle, and Tenten shakes her head.

"Oh, Gai-sensei…" she says with a sigh.

"In any case, it was Tenten's idea that we should treat you to lunch! Your first meal of this trip should be memorable, after all," he goes on to say.

"I appreciate the offer, but none of you have to pay for me," she replies. "It's memorable enough just getting to eat with all of you."

"There you go again with that flattery! Come on, Temari, I insist," he says with a smile, this one even brighter than the last.

"Yeah, come on!" Tenten says, going along with it. "When I said we should all eat together, Gai-sensei said he would be the one paying, and he made it a promise too. You don't want to make him break a promise to me, do you?"

"Fine, fine, you guys win," Temari says, not needing to put up that big of a fight in the end. "But this will only be a one time thing, got it?"

"Well," says Gai, "I won't make any promises there."

~X~

Once the five of them are at the restaurant, they begin talking more, getting caught up on things that have happened in their lives, as well as their villages, and it is during the conversation that Temari begins to realize something. "Tenten, is there something you're forgetting to tell me?"

"Huh? What's that?"

"Maybe I'm wrong, and sorry if I am and this makes things weird, but you two," she says, pointing first to Tenten and then to Lee. "You're more than just teammates now, aren't you?"

Tenten blushes, looking down at the table for a moment, and mumbling, "Well, I was getting to that, I mean, you're not wrong, and…"

"Of course!" Lee interjects, looking proud. "Tenten only recently agreed to be my girlfriend! But, because we've known each other for so long, things are moving rather quickly, and we are very close- ah!"

He's silenced by Tenten elbowing him hard, saying, "You don't have to say something so embarrassing! She's not asking for all the details!"

"I'm sorry! I was just so excited to tell her, I must have gotten carried away…"

"Well, get _less _carried away next time!"

"Yes, of course!"

Temari laughs into her hand, and says, "Well, don't you two make a nice couple? I'm happy for you both. Now, what about the rest of you? Any interesting news on _that _front?"

"If you think my news is exciting, you should know that Neji's engaged!" Tenten says, looking eager to move the attention away from herself.

"Engaged? Has that much changed since the last time I visited?"

"It's a political marriage," he mumbles, resting his elbow on the table and resting his face against his hand, covering his mouth.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's a pretty convenient excuse, huh, Neji?" teases Tenten.

"It's not an excuse, if it's true."

"Political? Are you marrying someone from another land?" asks Temari. "That must be difficult."

"Nothing like that," Tenten says. "It's family politics. You know he's from one of the big wig clans in the village, right? He's engaged to his clan's heiress, he's marrying the future head of the family. But that's not all there is, right, Neji?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he says, his voice almost completely muffled as he leans further into his own hand.

"You and Hinata have gotten _so _close over the years," she continues. "Neither of you really put up that much of a fight when the engagement was announced. And, you know, I don't know much about Hyuuga politics, but the arranged marriages tend to be between more distant members of the clan, and they usually happen later, so I wonder where her father got the idea for it to be you, and for it to be so soon…"

"Tenten, please stop talking about things you know nothing about," he says, and despite the words, his tone sounds almost like pleading, and it's very hard for Temari not to laugh at him.

"If you're in love then there's nothing to be embarrassed about!" Lee butts in, beaming at his flustered teammate.

"That's exactly right, Neji!" Gai adds. "You're fortunate to have found love where you did, while you're still young enough to enjoy it!"

"So enjoy it!" Lee proclaims, looking close to tears, and when Temari looks back at his teacher, he also looks a little misty eyed. It seems like there's never a dull moment with this team, and it's a nice change of pace from her mostly boring duties back in Sunagakure.

"Would you all stop making a racket?" Neji snaps, before turning to Temari, giving her a harsh glare as if to say, _This is all your fault, you know. _

She smiles politely back, as if to say, _Sorry, sorry, I'll do something about that _. "And what about you?" She turns her gaze to Gai. "I've heard about everyone else, which makes it your turn."

"Huh? My turn?" Giving her a bittersweet smile, he says, "Dear Temari, I'm afraid there isn't much to tell, other than that's yet another victory I have no choice but to give to Kakashi."

"Gai-sensei, it isn't like that at all!" Lee protests, and as he speaks, it seems rehearsed, like this is something he's had to say a lot. "People have different paths in life, and your path and Kakashi-sensei's paths were different! His marriage to Anko-sensei is not a loss! After all, you were not even interested in her, so you didn't lose her to him, he simply got married before you did, and even if you never-"

"Lee, you're just making it worse!" Tenten interrupts, ready to throw her elbow again, if need be. "We've _talked _about this, sometimes you can be insensitive when you're not trying to be so cut it out!"

"No need to be so harsh, Tenten," Gai says, already seeming to have fully recovered. "You and I both know Lee's heart is in the right place, and he's exactly right! Still, I know I'm well past my prime by now, so it can be hard not to let my bitterness get the better of me."

"You don't look past your prime to me," Temari says, though she isn't sure why she goes so far with her flattery when there is no need to. "There might be time left for still."

"I don't know about that, but I do appreciate the sentiment! With a can-do, never-give-up attitude, anyone can take on anything!"

The rest of the meal goes similarly, with Temari asking a question here or there that leads to some sort of outburst from one of them, and it's easy for the team to get derailed from there. All in all, they're a lively bunch, and Temari enjoys being around them quite a bit. It's not only nice to get to see Tenten, but to get to be with the rest of her team as well, and feel like a part of such an interesting group, if only for a little bit.

After lunch, she has to get back to where she's staying and rest up before her first official meeting, but she looks forward to getting to see them again before her trip comes to an end.


	2. Chapter 2

For the next day or so, Temari mostly finds herself in and out of meetings, but as soon as she has some time to herself, she decides to spend it sightseeing. She likes it here, and doesn't get to visit often enough that sightseeing becomes boring for her. And getting to simply wander around the village is peaceful, and almost makes this feel like a vacation, even if she is here on business.

And while she is out, she spots some familiar faces; that is, she sees Maito Gai again, but this time, he is not with his team, and is instead with his apparent rival, Kakashi Hatake. He spots her around the same time she spots him, and when he waves her over, she waves back and goes to join the two of them.

"It's a pleasure running into you again, Temari!" he says, with yet another blinding smile. "How's your visit treating you?"

"Very nicely," she replies. "Hello, Kakashi. It's been a while."

"That it has," he says with a nod. "Glad to see that you're still doing well."

"Congratulations, by the way," she says. "I heard you got married."

"Oh, yeah, that," he says, scratching the back of his neck. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

"Never thought I'd see the day he tied the knot," Gai says, sounding almost like a proud parent. "Of course, I also hoped he wouldn't beat me in that regard, but...no! We talked this over yesterday, it's not _truly _a victory!"

"Still going on about everyone having different paths in life?" Kakashi asks, with a brow raised, and Gai hangs his head.

"Are you trying to rub it is? Are you just being cruel to me, Kakashi?" He sighs. "You know, I have no need for a wife to make me happy! I've already lived a very fulfilling life, and my team is more than enough of a family! You do know that, don't you?"

Despite his words, it's very apparent that he's lonely. Temari wonders if there's anyone special, or if there ever was anyone special, that he wanted to take that step with, and she wonders if there's really no hope left for him, where romance is concerned. Not that it's any of her business, but if he's lonely, it might have to do with more than just being single. Lee and Tenten probably like to spend a fair amount of time together, and Neji is engaged now, so maybe even the teammates he considers a part of his family are more distant than he would prefer.

She can't help but feel bad for the poor guy, and decides that she should try to do something to help out with that, if she has the chance. After all, she does owe him for buying her lunch the day before, and if she can make him feel a little bit better, then that will probably be enough to repay him.

While she's been lost in her thoughts, he and Kakashi have resumed bickering, and she tunes back in as Gai says, "I'll take you on right here if I need to! Come on, we've got to have our next match soon anyway, so let's do it! Temari, do you want to help keep score?"

"I don't know about that," she starts to say, and Kakashi holds up a hand.

"Let's not bother her with that," he says. "Besides, you haven't even given me a chance to reply. I was going to decline your challenge, after all."

"Huh?! Just scared of losing, right?!"

Kakashi ignores him, and says, "Sorry if we held you up with this, Temari. I'm sure you've got a lot you need to do, so we'll see you around."

"Alright," she says with a smile, bidding both of them farewell. It isn't until she's a little bit further away that she allows herself to laugh at Gai's antics, not wanting to laugh in his face. He certainly is an amusing one, but he seems sensitive as well, so she'll have to tread carefully, where that's concerned.

~X~

As if perfectly orchestrated, she just so happens to run into him again that night, though he is by himself this time. This seems like as good a time as any to try and repay him for lunch, so she approaches him and says, "Just out by yourself tonight, huh?"

"Well, I like to get out and enjoy the fresh air as much as I can!" he replies. "If it were up to me, I'd probably never go back inside. But, yes, I'm on my own right now. What about you?"

"Same here. I was just going out to get dinner. Would you like to join me?" she asks, deciding for a direct approach. "If you're not busy, that is."

"How could I ever decline an invitation from a lady brimming with so much youth?" he replies, grinning at her.

"You pick the place and point me in the right direction," Temari says. She wonders if she should offer to push him there, but she isn't sure if that's polite or not. From time to time, she's seen Lee assisting him, but she doesn't want to give the impression that she thinks he can't do anything without assistance, when she knows that that isn't the case.

"Just follow me!" he replies, starting off at a fairly impressive pace, and looking excited as he does so.

He leads her to a place, claiming that she'll want to eat here for the rest of her life once she tries it, and she has to stop herself from laughing at his enthusiasm more than once. Choosing to spend her evening with him will at least keep things interesting, she knows, as he is an incredibly entertaining individual. They get to talking rather easily, sometimes rehashing some of the things discussed the day before, but also finding new topics.

The two of them have an interesting history, though not directly related, what with Temari's crushing defeat of Tenten in their first Chunin exam, and the situation between Gaara and Gai's beloved student. That gives them plenty to talk about, as they discuss all the things that happened back then, and how much has changed since then, and just how different everything is now. It's easy for them to agree that things have definitely changed for the better.

She is the first one to order a drink, and Gai hesitates before saying, "Well, if you're partaking then I suppose it won't be rude if I do too, but I usually try not to drink too much in the presence of a lady."

"Why not?" she asks with a smirk. "Can't hold your liquor?"

"Nothing like that, I'm just a gentleman! Don't you worry, I'm sure I could keep up with you, no problem."

"I guess we'll see about that," she teases, though neither of them take things so fast that it becomes anything like a real contest. If anything, they both have just enough to loosen things up more, and make conversation come easier, and keep the mood light. Even when discussing something as morbid as Gaara nearly ending Lee's career, they're able to keep smiling, because everything turned out just fine in the end, didn't it? Lee is better than ever, and Gaara has gone on to achieve more than anyone would have expected for him, and the two became very good friends.

Temari likes being with him, and she likes it so much, and her judgment is just impaired enough, that she is able to say, "I honestly don't know how Kakashi landed himself a wife first, when you seem way more fun than he is."

Gai frowns, shaking his head. "I already said earlier that that doesn't really matter! I've got all the family I need!"

"It's okay if you're lonely," she replies.

"So? What about you?" he says, trying to turn the tables on her. "Most people your age have settled down by now too, haven't they? I mean, I dunno about your brothers, but…"

"You caught me," she says, admitting to something that she probably wouldn't have without the assistance of alcohol. "I'm lonely too. Things didn't exactly work out the last time I tried, and I've been too busy ever since. And I guess I know just about everyone there is to know in my own village, and no one ever interested me."

"So, ya got someone who interests you here?"

"I did. You must have heard _something _about me and Shikamaru Nara. From what I gather, everyone was talking about us for the longest time," she says. "There were always rumors, after I saved his ass, that there was something going on between us, and eventually, I did try to go after him, but he's pretty complicated for someone who acts so simple."

"Things didn't go too badly, I hope."

"No, not too badly, he just wasn't interested in that kind of relationship. Honestly, I don't know _what _he's interested in, if anything. But he's still a good friend, so I didn't lose anything." She sighs. "Except maybe some of my pride."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Gai says this so loudly that people at nearby tables give them a glance. Upon seeing who it is, however, they turn away; his outbursts must be a very common occurrence, wherever he may go. "A beautiful young lady such as yourself has plenty to be proud of! You should never let a little rejection get you down, got it?"

She's surprised by just how passionate he is in his response, and simply nods. "I got it," she says. "I appreciate the words of encouragement."

"You may be lonely now, but you'll find someone yet! You're still in the prime of your life! The sun has not yet set on your youth, so never lose hope!" She wonders if it's just because they're drunk that he's getting this into things, but there's a part of her that is pretty sure he wouldn't behave much differently while sober. Still, there is something in his words that reaches her, that makes her feel rather strangely, and rather warm.

"You shouldn't give up hope either," she finally says. "I mean, look at you! You're still as strong and lively as you've always been, and just as handsome as ever."

"Don't you make fun of me, now," he says. "Flattery is one thing, but that's just cruel! You know saying I'm just has handsome as ever doesn't mean anything if you've never thought I was handsome, right?"

"You don't have to look so deeply into things," she says with a laugh.

"Maybe I picked up a thing or two from Kakashi!" Gai echoes her laughter, before saying, "But, whether you meant it or not, I'm going to take it as if you did. Being called handsome by someone as beautiful as you? I could cry, I'm so happy!" And, true to his words, he looks as if he could.

When the meal comes to an end, Gai insists and insists on paying for her again, and even though she claims she's trying to pay him back for lunch the day before, she replies that her company was more than enough, and that _he _is the one who owes _her _. There's nothing she can do to convince him, so she allows him to pay, and then insists on escorting him home.

"Shouldn't I be the one taking you back? Is it safe for you to roam the streets at night?"

"You know I can look after myself," she says. "Just let me take you home, alright?" Fortunately, he doesn't put up much of a fight after that, and she walks alongside him, making sure that he gets there alright. Normally, she's sure he would be just fine, but since he's still somewhat intoxicated, she doesn't want to take any chances.

"Thanks again for such a great night," he says, before he goes inside.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, it takes Temari a bit to drag herself out of bed. She drank the night before, that much is immediately clear to her, but it takes a few moments for her to remember what actually transpired, and once she recalls it all, she briefly feels like she's done something she shouldn't have. She feels the same sort of guilt one might after a drunken one night stand, but that isn't the case her.

All she did was go to dinner with someone, with a friend, really, and have some good conversation. She didn't do anything particularly scandalous, and she knows that, but for a moment, she really feels like she did. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that, once she had a few drinks in her, she definitely openly flirted with him a few times, though she isn't sure why she would do something like that.

All in all, she had fun during their dinner and she feels like he did too, which means that she succeeded in what she wanted to do, but there is still a part of her that feels like she's done something that she shouldn't have. But she's got more meetings today, so there isn't time to think about that now. Right now, she has to drag herself out of bed and make herself presentable, and pretend that she didn't stay out late, having dinner and drinking with Gai.

She spends most of the morning distracted, as she remembers more and more about the night before. Every memory that she has is pleasant, and she feels silly having worried about it before, but the more she thinks about it, the more she realizes that the only thing that's truly concerning about the previous is night is that it's lead to her wondering if she might be developing a more than friendly interest in Gai. Which is completely ridiculous, and she would have said someone was crazy if they had told her this would happen just a few days before.

How did things start to change so quickly?

She knows that a part of it probably has to do with the fact that she hasn't gone out with anyone in a while, or even had anyone that she was interested in going out with. The prospects in her home village are less than impressive, at least to her, but that doesn't do much to explain why Gai is suddenly considered a prospect. Well, whatever; she can't undo what she's done, and if she's looking forward to seeing him again, it can't be that bad.

When she has free time, she once again chooses to wander through the village, hoping to run into some familiar faces, and some more than others. Though she doesn't run into the person she secretly hopes to, she _does _run into Tenten, who says, "I'm glad I found you! I was hoping you'd be out today, I wanted to ask you something."

It's not surprising that she's already here to interrogate her. Gai has a big mouth, after all, and if anyone would have heard about it by now, it'd be his students. Temari says, "Sure, you wanna walk with me?"

"Alright, so I heard about this through Lee who heard it directly from the source," she starts. "Did you go on a date with Gai-sensei last night?"

"It wasn't a date," Temari mumbles, before realizing that she's _mumbling _, and that she's actually a little embarrassed about this. Well, that's certainly new, though she isn't sure what it's a sign of.

"Oh my god, you guys went out," Tenten says, shaking her head. "I didn't think either of them would lie but...wow! Date or not...wow!"

"Come on, it can't really be that big of a deal."

"Then why are you blushing? I didn't even know you _could _blush." Tenten looks about as shocked as she sounds. "It wasn't a date, fine, but you went out with him. So? What happened?"

"Nothing happened! We just went to dinner and talked about things, and I tried to pay for him and he wouldn't let me, and then we went home," she says, and none of it is even a lie. "That's really it."

"Well, that's a relief," her friend replies, "knowing that he didn't actually do anything unforgivable to you."

"Huh? Did he say he did or something?!"

"Look, I'm kinda fuzzy on the details at that point, but apparently Lee says he was really guilty and upset about it, and Lee said he didn't want to believe Gai-sensei could do anything like that, but from the way he was acting, he was worried...or something like that. Good to know it's just Gai-sensei overreacting like always, huh?"

"I'll say," Temari mutters, not admitting that she felt a bit of guilt at first as well. It must have something to do with the fact that there was alcohol involved, she tells herself. He's just overreacting to the same thing, that's all.

"He's been melodramatic, from what I've heard, but I haven't been able to find him to get any details, so I'm really glad I ran into you. Honestly, this whole situation has had me feeling like I'm going crazy! Or like I woke up in another universe. I mean, not that it would be a bad thing if you and Gai-sensei went out, it's just unexpected, and when I thought it was something a little worse, I thought there was no way he would do something like that, so that's what _really _made it weird." Tenten continues to ramble, and as Temari listens, she wonders how Tenten would react if she knew the sort of things she's been thinking about today.

"So? Is there any chance something more might come of this? I just want to know what to expect," she finally says.

Amused, Temari replies, "I'd have to talk to him face to face before I could tell you anything about that, but I thought I already told you that it was nothing."

"You're just not acting like it's nothing, that's all! But, fine. You want to talk to him? I might be able to arrange that," she says. "I'm sure he's probably going to want to apologize for whatever it is that he thinks that he did to you, anyway."

So Tenten promises to get her teacher to meet up with Temari, and they set up a time for this meeting to occur, and, in the meantime, Temari doesn't know how to occupy herself. She shouldn't be this impatient for something like this, but she knows by now that, over the course of one night, she's managed to throw herself almost completely off-balance, and that there's not much hope of fixing that right now.

And why should she have to fix it anyway? So she might like someone for the first time in a while, and that someone might be an eccentric older man, and what does any of that matter to her? She's always been confident, for as long as she can remember, and there's no reason for her to doubt herself or her feelings now. If this is what she wants, then far be it from her to not go after it, just because it might be a little strange, or unexpected.

All that she needs to do, and all that she really _can _do, is just see how this goes.


	4. Chapter 4

When Temari goes to meet up with Gai later that day, before she's even had a chance to say anything, he's already apologizing profusely, over and over again telling her just how sorry he is for his behavior, until he starts to move, as if trying to get up. She realizes then that he's attempting to get out of the chair so that he can grovel, and she is quick to lay a hand on his shoulder, gently- unless force is needed- pushing him back down.

"You really don't have to apologize so much," she says. "Or even at all, really. It's not like you did anything wrong to start with. We're both adults."

"Some of us with more youth than others," he replies, and she waves a hand.

"I don't see what difference that makes when it comes to making friends," Temari retorts, and, despite himself, Gai smiles at her words. "I don't have much time left in the village, so I'd like to be able to make good on our promise of going out again."

He pauses for a moment, reluctant, but finally says, "There won't be any drinking this time. And I don't think it should be just us! It'd be even more fun for Lee, Tenten, and Neji to come along, wouldn't it?"

She agrees, having suspected that he would want to invite his team along. It will be fun with them, and though that might slow down any progress between the two of them, she still isn't sure what, if anything, is going on between them. She isn't even sure if there's going to be progress to slow down in the first place.

~X~

Of course, when she agreed to let him invite his team, she didn't think about the possibility of only Neji not being able to come along. With only Lee and Tenten, a couple, there with them, it feels more like a double date than anything else, or at least, that's how Temari thinks it might look to someone who didn't know them all very well.

A strange double date, considering the history between her and Tenten, the history between her brother and Lee, and the fact that Gai is quite a bit older than them, and basically Lee's dad. All in all, it's weird, and she can tell that everyone else at her table feels the same way.

Or, maybe Lee is completely oblivious, but that honestly doesn't surprise her much. The meal itself probably isn't so awkward to him, maybe it isn't awkward at all, but Temari still feels weird, all things considered. One fact that does not help ease her tension is the knowledge that she might _want _it to come across as a double date, and that she wonders what Gai thinks about the whole mess, and if he might feel the same way as her.

When it is time to go home, Gai insists, "Tonight, I will see you to your hotel, no excuses!"

"You really don't have to do that," she says. "I can walk _you _home again, if you want."

"We can all walk together!" Lee says, probably sensing Temari's reason for concern. "First Temari, then Gai-sensei, then I will escort Tenten home!"

"Lee," Tenten starts to scold, but Temari cuts her off.

"That sounds like a great idea," says Temari. "It'll give us a better chance to say goodbye, since I have to go back home soon." Though there is a part of her that would rather walk alone with Gai, just to see what happens, she decides that this is the better option, and the four begin to make their way toward her hotel. She can't help but notice that Tenten walks a little farther behind them, keeping Lee at her side, as if to give them privacy, but neither she nor Gai says anything until they're already at the door.

Temari realizes that she doesn't want to say goodnight, and that she doesn't want the night to be over yet. Nothing happened to result in Gai feeling abnormally guilty the next day, but she also feels like they haven't accomplished anything, not that she's sure what exactly her goal was to begin with. As it is, she isn't sure how to say goodbye, or what to really say, and Gai seems to be having the same problem.

Tenten is keeping Lee at a distance, talking to him about something, though Temari can't make out the exact words. He's distracted, at least, and Tenten makes a point of not looking their way, giving her the chance to do whatever it is that she wants to do. But what does she want to do? Tomorrow, she will have to go back home, so what is it that she wants to say to him? Does she want this _something _to end here and now, or does she want to leave it open, with just a little bit of hope that they might be able to pick it up again someday, and figure out what it really is?

"Goodnight," she finally says. "Thanks for hanging out."

"Uh, you're welcome, goodnight, and have a safe trip home!" he replies, and before he can start to leave, she leans down to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. And then, before he has the chance to comment, she's inside, laughing to herself as she imagines his reaction.

~X~

The next morning, she half-expects to see Gai again, partially because she can't imagine him just leaving things at that. She thinks he might be there to see her off, but, as it turns out, her assumption is incorrect. Though Tenten is there to see her off, she is there alone, and Temari supposes Gai must be just fine with leaving things like that. Or he's wallowing in shame again, and, if that's the case, she feels a little guilty for doing that when she won't be around to tell him it's alright.

She's surprised at how disappointed she is that he isn't there, however.

"So…" While Temari tries not to let her disappointment show on her face, it's very easy to tell that Tenten has a lot of questions she wants to ask, just from one look at her. However, all she says is, "I guess it'll be a while, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm not sure when exactly I'll be back," she replies, wondering if Tenten saw when she kissed Gai.

"Well…" Again, she seems like she has something she wants to ask, but still, she holds back. "It's been a lot of fun, so I hope it isn't too long."

"I'll see what I can do." She waits just a little bit longer to see if Tenten will actually ask her anything, but in the end, the other woman holds back till the end, and Temari has no choice but to set off for home. Whatever's going on between her and Gai, _if _there's really anything going on between her and Gai, is just going to stay a mystery, unless Gai is unable to keep quiet about it.

Temari could honestly see it going either way, but she does know for sure that he isn't going to say anything to her about it now unless she says something first.


	5. Chapter 5

Once Temari is home, she falls back into the usual routine of her life, and nothing is really any different than it was before she went to Konoha. Everything is exactly the same except for the man that keeps nagging at her thoughts, and the encounters with him that she hasn't been able to forget, or get off her mind, ever since.

She tried not to care that Gai wasn't there to see her off, and she tried not to address the fact that she was disappointed, and she tried to write everything off as just some harmless fun on a trip away from home, but now that she _is _home, it's hard to escape just what actually happened.

She definitely likes him, she knows that much for sure, and though, at the time, it didn't seem like a big deal if she did or didn't, now that she's away from him and thinking about it, she thinks it might be a bigger deal than she initially figured. After all, judging from how he's acted around her, it's more than likely that he's interested in her as well, and that, if they had had more time, something might have happened between them- something more than a quick kiss on the cheek.

Everything more or less goes back to normal for her, but she catches herself thinking about him more often than not. It was such a short amount of time, and they only went out twice, so it shouldn't have thrown her off this much! And it's not like it's the first time she's been interested in someone, and it's not like she's still a kid, and it's not like she really had any opportunity to come to care about him this much. Even knowing all of that, she still can't get Gai off of her mind.

Still, though it may be an inconvenience, she doesn't let it get in the way of anything, and is able to go about her life as if nothing happened. At least, she assumes that's what she's doing, but she underestimates just how much it shows on the outside, and just how easily her brothers can read her, when there's something off.

Kankuro asks her first if there's a problem, and she brushes him off, but even Gaara asks her if anything happened while she was away, and she knows that there's no hiding it from them, at least, not until she resolves it somehow. So, while she does not give them any hints as to what's going on with her, she does decide to get back in contact with Gai. Since she can't just up and go to Konoha whenever she pleases, she sends him a letter.

_How are you? _she asks, deciding to keep it simple. _I made it back safe and sound, and nothing really eventful has happened since. How have things been for you? Anything interesting happen while I've been gone? _

_I had a lot of fun. It would be nice to do it again sometime, _she finishes, not letting her feelings really show through, but leaving herself room to address it in the future. She sends it to the village, not knowing exactly where to send it for him, and hopes that it gets to him without any difficulty, and then, all she can do is wait for his reply.

~X~

His reply comes so quickly that it feels almost as if he were waiting for something like this, or, at least, waiting for the chance to say something to her, but afraid to be the one to say it. Even so, his letter is as cautious and courteous as he was when they went on their "double date", not giving anything away.

_Things have been well _, his letter starts, and that's really all that it says. He tells a few stories about nothing in particular, things that his former students said or did, but there is nothing of substance in his letter. Though it seems obvious that he wanted to write her back, it also seems that he had absolutely nothing to say to her, or that he isn't able to say what it is that he wants to say. If they're going to get anywhere with this, Temari has to be the one to make it happen.

Her next letter is much more blunt, as a result.

_I've missed you a lot since I got home. I was a little surprised you weren't there when I left, to give me a proper goodbye, but maybe I misinterpreted what was happening between us? I'm not sure, and I'm not going to be sure unless we talk about it, so let's talk about it. _

_We never really went on a date, but we went out a couple times, and it definitely felt like that to me. I don't know what you're thinking right now, but I keep thinking that I'd let to go on a real date with you. I keep thinking that I like you, and I want to see where this is going, if it's going anywhere at all. _

She signs her name and sends it off, and it feels like three years pass before she gets his reply, but it's actually less than a week. His reply is incredibly brief, she can tell before she's even read it, and whether rejecting her or accepting her feelings, she would have expected a little more from him. She reads it, to see what it is that he's saying.

_I think that that's something we have to talk about in person, _is the gist of what he says, and nothing else in the letter relates to the subject, or does anything to give away his feelings at all. Temari is left without answers, only vague directions that she's going to have to follow if she wants to get anywhere with this.

With that in mind, she goes to her youngest brother and asks, "Is there any way I can take another trip to Konohagakure?"

"Does this have anything to do with what's been bothering you?" asks Gaara, and she nods. "I thought it might have something to do with your last visit. If you still don't want to talk about it, I won't make you."

"Thank you," she says, "but it's really not as serious as you're making it sound. I really just don't want to talk about it when it's not certain yet."

"Well, either way, I hope it works out for you," he says. "I don't think it would be too hard to get you a little vacation."

"I really appreciate it," she says, and she's grateful not only for how easily her brother helps her, but how he seems to understand without knowing anything about it. She writes back to Gai with the date of her trip, and he responds with a time and place that they should meet up to discuss things. Well, at least he isn't backing out of talking to her in person now that it's really happening. Some people might have used the distance as a way to get out of it, but she can tell he isn't like that.

Soon, things are going to be resolved between them, and Temari can hardly wait, though of course, she's hoping for the most positive outcome.


	6. Chapter 6

She doesn't expect Gai to be there when she arrives in the village, and isn't surprised when he isn't. If they've set a time to meet, he definitely won't do anything to see her before then and mess up the plans they've made. She is a little bit surprised that Tenten is there, but then, he probably asked her to be, just so that Temari wouldn't arrive without anyone to greet her.

"Long time, no see," Temari jokes. "Didn't think I'd be back so soon!"

Tenten, however, gets right to the point, and asks what she probably wanted to ask before Temari left the last time. "Are you in love with Gai-sensei, or what?"

"Wh- that was fast," she says with a nervous laugh. But she decides to be honest, rather than skirting around the topic. "I don't know about love. It's a little too soon for that, but...I am pretty sure that I like him."

"You'd better not doing anything to hurt him," Tenten warns, and then sighs. "He's been really off since you left, you know? I don't think I've ever seen him like this. He must be pretty serious about you, but he probably still feels guilty, since you're not much older than me and all."

"You don't have to worry about that, about me hurting him," replies Temari. "I'm pretty serious about him too." Secretly, she's pleased to hear Tenten say that Gai feels that way about her. "If I do hurt him at all, it won't be intentionally."

"I'm glad, and I support you guys and everything, but…" Now, Tenten makes a face. "It's just a little weird, sorry but I had to say it. I mean, after everything, he's..._ you know _, and you're you, and I just never expected this!"

"I'm sure it must be weird for all of you."

"Oh, Neji is even more weirded out than I am. I don't think he's capable of seeing Gai-sensei as a fellow adult, or something like that. Lee...Lee is actually really, really enthusiastic about the whole idea," she says. "I thought he might be weird about it too, in a different way, but he's surprised me! I guess he's just glad that our dear teacher might have finally found love."

"The more you describe it, the more weird it does sound."

"You're not backing out, are you?"

"After I came all the way here? Not a chance."

~X~

She knows that having their fated meeting underneath the blooming cherry blossoms is probably the most cliche way to do it, but Temari is glad that that's what they've agreed upon. They don't have anything like that in the desert, and if she's visiting Konoha while they're in bloom, she might as well work that into her visit. And a romantic setting for what is essentially a confession...it's cliche as hell, but it definitely suits Gai, and may help set the mood more to get the point across to him.

He is already there when she arrives, early as always, and she waves as she approaches him. "You're looking well," he says, and offers her a smile that is not nearly as bright as usual. This is how she can tell that he's feeling nervous.

"You are too," she says. "I missed you."

"I, uh...I missed you too."

"I'm glad to hear it," she replies. "I was hoping I wasn't completely alone in that. Well, we're in person now, so I guess we can finally talk about things, huh?"

Gai nods, and says, "It's only polite to let you speak first."

"You already know what I'm going to say. I like you," she admits, "and not just as a friend, or any of that. You know exactly what I mean, right? And I'm not the only one who feels like there's something between us, am I?"

"You know this isn't a good idea," he says. "Whatever there is between us, you shouldn't waste your youth on a man like me!"

"The lack of confidence doesn't really suit you, Gai," she replies, shaking her head. She had expected that sort of retaliation from him, and planned from the beginning to shoot that down right away. If the only reason he has for them to not go any further with this is that he doesn't think he's good enough for her, then she doesn't see any reason to keep holding back. "It's my youth to waste however I please."

"Temari-" he starts, but by that point, she's already leaned down to pull him into a kiss, and a real one this time. She wishes she'd just done this on their "date" and gotten it over with; maybe then things could have been resolved sooner. But at least now, when she finally kisses Gai, it doesn't take long for him to relax into it and kiss her back. She's sure that she'll still have a bit of work, convincing him that this is actually what she wants, and she knows that a long distance relationship might be difficult on the both of them, but right now, she's glad that she made it this far, and that she'll have the chance to see where it goes from here.

"Congratulations!" a voice suddenly calls out, and Temari and Gai pull apart to look for the source. As it turns out, they'll have to wait a little bit before she can further convince him it's what she wants, because, as it turns out, they were not as alone as they thought they were.

"Lee!" Tenten shouts, emerging from a cluster of trees where Temari assumes she and Lee were both hiding.

"I'm sorry, but I could not contain my excitement anymore!" he says, charging towards them. And, to Temari's surprise, when Tenten chases after Lee, Neji follows her, his activated Byakugan making it obvious that all three of them were spying.

"I...just what are you three _doing _?!" asks Gai.

"Haven't you ever heard of privacy?" adds Temari, and then, the two make eye contact and laugh. It's like they're scolding children, and that really only makes this seem weirder, but once the thought has occurred to them, she and Gai can't stop laughing.

~X~

Though the distance can get difficult at times, she and Gai keep in touch regularly, and she knows that he is not the sort who's faithfulness she has to question. If there's anyone she can trust, it's someone like Gai, and she visits him often. He always says that he should be the one going out to visit her, rather than making a lady come all that way just for him, but the desert is difficult for someone in his condition, and she's come to like Konoha quite a bit, so she doesn't mind the traveling.

In fact, as several months pass and their relationship becomes more serious, she begins to contemplate moving completely. By now, her brothers both know of her relationship and, after getting over the initial shock, both accept it. Gaara has said a few times that she could do her job living in either village, and now, she's beginning to seriously consider it.

~X~

While she begins to consider moving, Gai has a contemplation of his own. Things are certainly getting serious between he and Temari, and if he wants to put an end to her traveling, the most natural course of action is for them to live together. But if they're going to live together, then there's absolutely no way they can remain unmarried, and so, Gai begins to contemplate proposing.

He is not the least bit intimidated when wondering if he should ask the Kazekage for his blessing in marrying his older sister.


End file.
